As is well-known, many bodies of water need to be sanitized for use in association with human consumption or recreational activities. For example, in bodies of water such as swimming pools, spas, and the like, and in potable water storage and supply systems, food processing and cleaning systems, food handling equipment and systems, and the like, the water must be chlorinated to prevent the accumulation of algae and bacteria, the transfer of disease, or the like. Heretofore, such sanitization has been accomplished by depositing relatively large quantities of various sanitizing chemical products into the water. The disadvantages of these traditional sanitizing methods include recurring and high chemical costs, along with non-uniform efficacy due to concentration spikes upon application, the concentration of which typically wanes over time and according to bioload. Yet additionally, use of such chemical products bring requirements for procedural, equipment, and other safeguards addressing the safety, storage, and handling of these chemicals.
Other systems operate upon principles of electrolytic dissociation of chlorine from a sodium chloride (saline) solution. Such dissociation results in the desirable formation of bioactive residual chlorine and sodium hypochlorite; however, as is inherent to such systems, the resulting sodium hypochlorite solution contains a high residual salt concentration. Many such systems utilize holding tanks, wherein the resulting sodium hypochlorite and saline solution is stored pending release into a body of water, such as a swimming pool or spa. When the sodium hypochlorite and saline solution is released periodically into the body of water, the sodium hypochlorite is thereafter consumed. Disadvantageously, however, the salt concentration in the body of water continues to increase, along with other dissolved solids typically present in such bodies of water, so that the total dissolved solids in the water become excessive. Under such circumstances, the operator must backwash the body of water (e.g., the operator must drain and replace some water in the pool or spa) in order to decrease the total dissolved solids. This backwashing operation is both wasteful and ecologically unfriendly, if not outright destructive, due to the high saline concentrations often present in the discharged water.
Thus, it is clear that there is an unmet need for a system and method for chlorine generation and distribution that reduces the nature and amounts of chemical materials that are necessary for operation, that allows large doses of bio-active agent to be supplied for rapid buildup of concentration of the bio-active agent in the body of water, on the one hand, and that further allows lesser doses of bio-active agent to be supplied for maintenance of concentration of the bio-active agent in the body of water, on the other hand, all in association with a method that is safer and more cost effective in operation.